Zodiac (warrior cats)

Chapter 14

A Kestrel flew in the sun-high sky, its wings cast a large shadow over the traveling WindClan patrol. They traveled tail to tail alongside the lakes shore, keeping eyes and ears alert for any signs of danger.
Ferretpaw padded near the water, it reeked of a smell mixed of fish and mud.
"Yuck" he spat, "I'm sure glad I'm not a RiverClan cat."
His mentor Goldgrass gave him a nudge to keep moving, Ferretpaw hadn't noticed that Sunstrike was moving so swiftly. As he padded next to Sprucepaw, the cream and brown apprentice felt an odd feeling come over him.
He felt a sort of kinship between him and the brown apprentice, after all they shared a common bond. Both were Zodiac's of WindClan.
"So have you found your power yet?" Ferretpaw asked, his voice coming out nothing more than a nervous squeak.
The brown apprentice lifted her green gaze and nodded. "When Sunstrike and I were hunting the other day, I found it. But I don't know what use it is, It's not like it will help bring peace to the forest or anything."
Ferretpaw perked his ears, his interest perking as well. If Sprucepaw had already found his power, why hadn't he? Was StarClan waiting to show him it?
"Well" he prodded Sprucepaw, "What is it? What's your power?".
With a sigh the she-cat looked towards the sky, "I can hear what animals of other species are thinking. And not just that but I can see what they're thinking."
Ferretpaw gaped, was his friend serious?
Suddenly he noticed the kestrel circling high in the blue sky, and an idea came. If that really is Sprucepaw's power, he thought with a smile, then let's test it.
"What's that Kestrel thinking?" he flicked his tail to the light brown bird in the sky.
Sprucepaw blinked while trying to avoid the sunlight, and paused walking for a moment. Ferretpaw watched intensely as her eyes quivered for a short moment, until finally Sprucepaw began walking.
"He's starving" she meowed sadly, "The drought has killed most of the prey around here, and the sun is practically burning him alive."
He could almost sense the emotion flooding from Sprucepaw, her eyes were practically watering!
Ferretpaw shrugged, "It's just a Kestrel, It's not like it has anything to do with us. Just ignore it" he leaned forward to nudge her shoulder. But Sprucepaw moved so he wouldn't touch her and glared with an angered stare.
"It's not just a kestrel" she growled slowly, "It's a living animal Ferretpaw, just like both of us. And if a bird as smart and as good at hunting as that Kestrel is practically dying, where do you think that leaves us? Its a circle of life Ferretpaw! If the drought scorches the grass which its doing, then the rabbits and other small animals die. If we don't get prey than we die. Don't you see? We're all connected in one big circle, one can't live without the other!".
The intensity in Sprucepaw's burning green eyes was intimidating, Ferretpaw felt like a tiny kit getting scolded by Rosefern.
"I guess your right" the apprentice shrugged.
Sprucepaw had made a good argument. Soon the newly made apprentice began to wonder about this Circle of Life. He looked down at the brown grass below his paws, it was only a portion of how beautiful it once was.
The drought had become quite a problem for the clans in the last moon. Not only was it intensely hot, but the lake was drying up! The mud down by the shore was thick and disgusting.
Not to mention it was covered with fish carcasses and rotting animals who got stuck in it.
In fact the previous day, Ferretpaw's father Ravenpelt helped get Horizonpaw out of the mud. All the other apprentices made him sleep outside for the night, he stunk worse than a dead skunk!
Soon the grassy moor began to transform into woods as the patrol neared Horse-Place. Ferretpaw began to notice that he and Sprucepaw were lagging behind, but Sunstrike just walked so darn fast!
Looking at the beautiful brown apprentice, Ferretpaw began to wonder what his power might be. He hoped it was something impressive, and then not only would all of WindClan look upon him with glory, but so would Sprucepaw.
But another thought lingered in the toms mind, why was it taking so long for him to find his power? Did StarClan even intend to give him one?
But why would they give me a symbol? He flicked his lightning bolt marked ear, There was no point in giving him that if he wasn't going to be given a power.
"The lightning bolt" Ferretpaw muttered out loud, maybe his power was to shoot lightning at other cats!
That would be awesome, Ferretpaw thought with a smile. Not to mention it would keep other clans at bay. Increasing his speed, Ferretpaw kept his eyes peeled for any mangy RiverClan warriors.
There were rumors that they were stealing prey, but of course at the gathering, Mallowstar accused Thistlestar of stealing prey.
"We wouldn't want to eat your scaly fish anyway" Ferretpaw mumbled to himself, tearing up some of the bracken below him.
"What did you say?" Sprucepaw stopped to look at him, making Ferretpaw twitch nervously.
He was about to respond, but a loud noise made him stop cold. A bark sounded from the Horse-Place, and before they even realized what happened, Ferretpaw spotted a large black and white dog racing towards them.
The patrol was already far ahead, and the only thing in between the two apprentices and the dog, was moor.
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Instantly Sprucepaw tugged at Ferretpaw's scruff, "Come on we have to move!".
The dog's paws were thundering on the ground like falling boulders, white foam falling from its tooth filled mouth. Sprucepaw ran in the direction of the lake, where trees and boulders were abundant.
She could hear harsh thoughts coming from the angered dog, but the only word it was barking, was "Kill, Must kill." And Sprucepaw knew that was exactly what the dog would do to them if it caught either of the two. They needed to find shelter, fast.
"It's going to kill us!" Ferretpaw squealed, his bushy tail blowing in the wind.
Sprucepaw tightened her muscles, "Yeah, no kidding." She had never encountered a dog before, but quite often they would chase away WindClan or even RiverClan patrols.
"Maybe we can go in the lake" Ferretpaw suggested as he panted, "We can swim across to the island."
"First of all we can't swim that far" Sprucepaw spoke swiftly, "And second of all dogs can swim, Kestrelflight told me so."
No they wouldn't able to swim away, but perhaps if they were able to go somewhere the dog couldn't. Like a crevice! That was exactly what they needed to find, but the question lingering in the back of Sprucepaw's mind, was would they?
She took a quick glance to see where the dog was.
"Ah!" Sprucepaw gasped as she realized that the black and white canine was only two fox-lengths behind them. One bite and it could take their tails!
"Here" Ferretpaw yowled, direction Sprucepaw towards a stone crevice.
With all her might, Sprucepaw darted towards the crevice, and was about to go in when she realized the dog had them cornered. Even if they hid in the crevice, which they didn't have enough time for, the dog would only wait for them to come out.
"What do we do?" Ferretpaw asked as he backed up, the dog was approaching with a snarl.
Sprucepaw didn't know what to say, she could hear the dogs thoughts loud and clear.
"Need to protect humans, cats don't belong." If only Sprucepaw could just make the mutt go away, but sadly she couldn't speak its language.
"Leave us alone!" Sprucepaw took a step forward, her green eyes focused on the dog.
It snarled loudly, and with a bunch of its black-furred muscles, leaped into the air. Sprucepaw slammed her paw onto the ground in instinct, and instantly the earth in front of her shot up into the air.
The wall of ground shot right in front of the dog, creating a barrier between it and them. For a moment Sprucepaw stood there in shock, had she done that?
"No fair!" Ferretpaw spat, "You have two powers? Oh I just know it, StarClan cursed me!".
But the brown she-cat wasn't listening at all, she was simply staring at the wall of earth and front of her. Indeed Sprucepaw did have another power.
And at least with this one she could defend not only herself, but those who needed protecting.